Is April The New May For Tornadoes?

In Oklahoma we average 11 tornadoes in April and 21 in May. May has always been regarded as the peak month of severe weather season. But lately it seems like April wants to take over the top spot as our stormiest month, and the one with the most tornadoes.

On April 14-16, 2011 one of the worst tornado outbreaks in U.S. history occurred. 178 tornadoes struck 16 states including Oklahoma. 38 people were killed. 2 of those people died in Tushka, Oklahoma in Atoka County.{}

Almost exactly a year later, April 14-15, 2012, 135 tornadoes struck several states including Oklahoma where 6 people died in Woodward.{}

Last April we had 50 tornadoes in Oklahoma. That's more than how many occurred last May, and almost matched the number of tornadoes that we get for an entire year which is 55. For the entire year of 2011, we had 119 tornadoes in Oklahoma. Again, far more than our average of 55, and the most since 1999.

Is this April shaping up to be a repeat of last April? And like last year, will we wind up with more tornadoes this April than May? Only time will tell, but it certainly looks like April is trying to be the new May for tornadoes.